In the heavens, people become emperors by being bad.

Chapter 558 [Relics Found in Cremation]

"A ritualistic practice? Interesting..."

If everyone gains something, they also lose something in the process. The ritual is a kind of exchange, but also a way of balance.

It can be used to worship gods, and it can also be used to worship this vast universe.

If one offers oneself as a sacrifice, shining with the most brilliant light in the divine fire, burning away the past, breaking free from shackles, one can transcend.

"This road is extremely dangerous."

Black Emperor suddenly shuddered, his voice trembling as he said, "If you exert too much force and don't control the heat and balance between giving and receiving, you can easily burn yourself to ashes without a physical body. I'm afraid you won't even have the chance to form the Reincarnation Seal."

"The blazing holy fire burns my broken body. What joy is there in living, what bitterness in dying?" Lin Xian clasped his hands together, a halo of Buddhist light appeared behind his head, and a chanting sound rang out in the void, incomparably holy. He was as solemn and dignified as the World Honored One, and said in a deep voice: "The human world is like a sea of ​​suffering. If one does not see through the illusions of all phenomena, how can one see the true nature of the Tathagata, and how can one reach the other shore?"

“Amitabha Buddha is the supreme emperor, above the three thousand Buddhas, and commands countless monks. He is revered by all in the nine heavens and ten earths, and can be called the supreme being in the human world. He has reached the ultimate position and what glory he has. But even the World Honored One is not liberated and is still troubled by birth, old age, sickness and death.”

"Only by burning to ashes and producing relics can one achieve Nirvana and transcend the Three Realms and be free from the Five Elements."

"The world no longer has the Great Emperor Amitabha, only Namo Amitabha remains!"

The Buddhist path is symbolic, embodying the self-immolation of the three masters of the bronze coffin, secretly aligning with the true meaning of transcendence.

The master of the Three-Life Coffin was burned to ashes, but was he really dead? Not necessarily. His traces are everywhere in this vast world. From the eerie plateau to the Three Heavenly Emperors, all of this is because of him. It can be said that enemies and allies share the same origin.

Ashes are scattered throughout the world, and this human world is like a grand dream, seemingly nonexistent, yet actually omnipresent.

The same applies to Amitabha Buddha. Although the emperor has passed away, Amitabha Buddha lives in the hearts of all beings. All Buddhist practitioners in the world recite: Namo Amitabha Buddha!
“Amitabha, what a wonderful Namo Amitabha.” The eyes of the Chaotic Ancient Emperor’s son flashed with brilliance, and he said in a deep voice: “Using the cause of passing away in the past to exchange for the result of attaining enlightenment in the future, this is also a kind of sacrifice, a kind of cause and effect. All living beings receive its grace and inherit its cause and effect, which will continue for hundreds of thousands of years.”

"He wanted to attain enlightenment in a dream, but dreams are ultimately illusory. If he succeeds in reaching the Western Paradise, all will be well. But if he fails, the sky will collapse and the earth will crumble, and he will have to pay for his karma with his life."

Amitabha Buddha lives in the hearts of all beings, creating a spiritual paradise where he coexists with all spirits. This paradise is called the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Hundreds of thousands of years of preaching have led many beings to believe that the Pure Land truly exists, and they have contributed their spiritual power to construct the celestial realm in their dreams, praying to be reborn there and achieve immortality.

But illusion is ultimately illusion. When the power of the spirit collides with the material reality, and the paradise and the immortal realm merge, one side is destined to be smashed to pieces.

"Even Amitabha Buddha wants to ascend to heaven in one step!"

At this moment, everyone finally saw through the grand plan of Buddhism and exclaimed in horror, "The Amitabha Buddha Emperor, like the Azure Emperor, is also evolving the Immortal Realm."

Why would he have such an outrageous idea?

The Azure Emperor is one thing, but after all, he is the embodiment of the elixir of immortality and was the Azure Lotus Immortal King in his previous life. As a specialist in the Chaos Azure Lotus, he has the qualifications to give it a try.

Where did Amitabha Buddha's extraordinary wisdom come from?

"In the Immortal Ancient Era, in the Chaotic Ancient Era, in the former Primordial Ancient Realm, there exists a Void God Realm." Lin Xian said quietly, "Is that the spiritual world jointly constructed by all the Immortal Kings? It is another great universe, not much different from reality."

“In that era, the Buddhist tradition already existed. There was a Celestial Monk King and a Six Paths Reincarnation Celestial King who had a close connection with Buddhism.”

The Void God Realm of the Immortal Ancient Era was very likely dominated by the Buddhist lineage.

The Great Emperor Amitabha is a similar flower, so it is not surprising that such a thought arose.

"The Buddhist paradise, the Azure Emperor's immortal realm, spirit and matter."

Ye Fan seemed to grasp some clue in an instant, and said thoughtfully, "The Human Emperor's Banner?"

"Come under my banner and you will gain immortality. Well done, well done..." Lin Xian smiled slightly, put his hands together and said, "I am the reincarnation of the Immortal King, the future Buddha. I wish to use my great compassion to save all sentient beings in the world. However, sentient beings are ignorant and lack great perseverance. They are unwilling to sacrifice themselves to become Buddhas. How pitiful and lamentable."

"In the future, when I attain the Dao and become an Immortal King, all living beings will attain the Dao and evolve into the Western Paradise, where everyone can enjoy the fruits of immortality."

"If I attain the Dao and become an Immortal King, all living beings in my Immortal Realm will attain eternal life and will not fall into the cycle of reincarnation."

"If I attain the Dao and become an Immortal King, all living beings in the heavens who recite my true name will gain eternal life."

"..."

Golden light rained down, and the sacred power of faith soared. Lin Xian was bathed in the celestial radiance, just like a Buddha who had been cast into a golden body, or a celestial king sitting cross-legged in the heavens with a lotus flower blooming from his tongue, making one grand vow after another.

This is essentially a ritual, an exchange, placing hope in a person, a goal, or a thing.

"A bright future is out of reach, and a winding road is one I can't finish walking." Ye Fan sneered. We're all Earthlings, who are you trying to fool? Suffering first doesn't necessarily mean sweetness later, but sweetness first is truly sweet.

"It's not that we can't achieve immortality, but rather that we can achieve it slowly, gradually, and flexibly, and even more importantly, strategically." Lin Xian coughed lightly and said, "Let those who have the means achieve immortality first, let me achieve immortality first, and then lead all living beings to achieve immortality."

"If I were the Immortal King, all living beings in the Immortal Land would attain immortality; if I were the Immortal Emperor, all living beings throughout history would attain eternal life."

It sounds better than it sounds, but even a dog wouldn't believe it. The Black Emperor shook his head and said, "There are so many supreme beings in the forbidden zone. In their first lives, they were also glorious and protected all living beings. They were worthy of worship by all living beings. But later they changed and fell into darkness."

“Those who call themselves guardians turn around and prey on the animals that are herding.”

"How can you guarantee that your Dao heart is pure and that you will never fall into darkness?"

"Difficult, difficult, difficult!"

Since the beginning of mythology, there have been at least several hundred enlightened beings, but only thirty have remained as illuminating emperors. The rest have all turned from dragon-slaying heroes into evil dragons.

The key lies not in grand aspirations, but in the Daoist heart that makes such aspirations. Only those who do not lose their Daoist heart and do not forget their original intentions can become immortals or Buddhas.

Even a powerful figure like the Undying Emperor remained steadfast in his beliefs, insisting that he was a citizen of the Immortal Realm and dreaming of returning home. He never betrayed his principles and always maintained his original aspiration as the Phoenix of the Immortal Realm.

To the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, the Undying Emperor was a spy for the Immortal Realm, harming one Great Emperor after another. But to the Immortal Realm, he was a hymn of loyalty. "I never rely on a savior, nor do I depend on True Immortal Emperors. The brighter and more radiant a person is, the darker they become when they fall," Ye Fan declared resolutely. "I only respect this life, I don't trust others, I only trust myself. In the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, I alone reign supreme!"

He didn't believe in Lin Xian's ideas at all, and he wouldn't place his hopes on others. He was unyielding and wanted to teach people to be self-reliant.

Floating clouds cover the moon but cannot block my eyes, my determination to seek the truth is as strong as iron even if I die!
“But how many people like you are there in the vast universe? There are very few who are self-reliant and perpetually strong.” Lin Xian shook his head and said, “The path of faith can be passed down for thousands of years and has been revered by one emperor after another. There is a reason for this. It is a kind of spiritual immortality.”

"There are fundamental reasons why Buddhism and Taoism have been able to survive for so long."

"The path of immortals transcends, the path of gods establishes teachings!"

Ye Fan fell silent for a moment. Not to mention mortals and low-level cultivators, even the Great Sages on the ancient starry road sometimes worship the Great Emperor to seek a bit of comfort.

Cultivators with the heart of a strong person are almost all quasi-emperors, and there are only a dozen or so quasi-emperors in a generation. Even in the Golden Age, it is considered prosperous if there are a hundred or so quasi-emperors.

"As for a pure Dao heart, what's so difficult about that?" Lin Xian chuckled, saying meaningfully, "My Dao heart has been black from the very beginning, isn't that enough?"

Everyone was slightly taken aback, then looked at the little girl. Was it because she was already the Demon Emperor that she wouldn't change? Her base color was originally black, so it wouldn't be dyed black again.

"One thought can make you a Buddha, another a demon; Buddha and demon are one and the same." Lin Xian said calmly, "Why did the ancient emperors fall into the forbidden zone? Because they were high above, regarding all living beings as their subjects and the universe as their private property. When their blood and energy were vigorous, they were fine, with the ambition to establish unparalleled achievements and ascend to immortality. But once they lost hope of becoming immortal, their mentality changed, and they naturally began to prey on the common people."

“In ancient times, the Heavenly Venerables regarded themselves as preachers of the Way, and emperors and sovereigns considered themselves the masters of all spirits.”

"The change of eras is not only a change in the laws of the universe, but also a change in the nature of human nature."

“But I am different. I bring all races into the Human Emperor’s Banner and together we build the Western Paradise. I let billions of souls cultivate for me. Call me an exploiter, call me a harvester, call me a blood sacrifice for all living beings, I never hide my goal.”

"Now we cultivate with the help of all living beings, and one day we will give back to all living beings to achieve immortality."

"This is a sacrifice, and also a transaction; I am equal to all living beings!"

Great demons give rise to great Buddhas, and great Buddhas give rise to great demons. The cruelty reaches its extreme, yet it reveals a compassionate understanding of the equality of all beings.

"Heaven and earth are ruthless, treating all things like straw dogs; the sage is ruthless, treating the people like straw dogs." The Chaotic Ancient Emperor's son looked at Lin Xian with a complicated expression and slowly said, "You are the undisputed Lord of Devouring Heaven."

The Supreme Being of the Forbidden Zone was at least a good person in his first life, but he went through a process of gradual corruption. In the beginning, he was a hero with the world in his heart.

Who is this prodigy of our time who, upon entering the world, immediately considers how to exploit all living beings and how to seek benefits from them? His rate of depravity is far too fast; even a Great Perfection Saint would be ashamed of himself.

Even the Devouring Empress only devoured the kings back then, without targeting the souls of ordinary people.

"I'll bear the blame for the suffering of all living beings." Lin Xian smiled calmly: "When the Immortal Realm is established and all living beings attain immortality, they will understand my good intentions."

"Construct a Celestial Realm?" Everyone looked at each other strangely. Even the Azure Emperor and the Amitabha Emperor had failed. Did Holy Master Lin have any chance of succeeding?

Even if we succeed, it will be an incredibly long process, and we don't know when it will take.

“Of course it’s possible. I have clues about the Nine Dragons Pulling the Coffin.” Lin Xianyi said righteously, “As long as all living beings and the Supreme One work together, we will soon see the dawn.”

"Your heart is too black." The Chaotic Ancient Emperor shook his head, finally seeing through Lin Xian's scheme. He not only wanted to exploit all living beings, but also the Supreme Being of the Forbidden Zone.

The old man in the restricted area is also blessed. Evil people will be punished by evil people. He has been tyrannical and domineering all his life, but at the last moment he met a pie-in-the-sky Lin Shengzhu.

Most importantly, the promises Lin Xian made were nine parts false and one part true, a mixture of the real and the unreal. Some of them seemed ethereal, while others offered real benefits, leaving even the Supreme One somewhat perplexed and hesitant to act rashly.

"How long will it take for the blessings of all beings to arrive?" Ye Fan questioned. Back when he was driving a Mercedes-Benz, he often used the trick of stock dividends to fool shareholders and investors.

“After countless eons,” Lin Xian replied.
"Don't try to dodge the question." Ye Fan rolled his eyes. Buddhist terminology is extremely exaggerated, often using terms like "immeasurable kalpas" or "countless sands." He wanted an accurate number.

"It could take tens of millions of years, or at least several million years," Lin Xian said after thinking for a moment.

The path to becoming a Celestial King is incredibly difficult, as it grants true immortality. While True Immortals can live long in the Dharma-ending Age, they will still perish in the Age of Extinction, whereas Celestial Kings are free from environmental influences.

Excluding special cases like the Desolate Leaf, the most normal situation is that one or two Immortal Kings emerge in an era.

Having the potential to become a Celestial King does not guarantee that one will actually become one. It requires a long period of arduous practice, and often it is an old fellow from several eras ago who proves his Dao in the current era.

Upon hearing this, everyone sneered and turned to leave. "Tens of millions of years, millions of years? Who the hell are you trying to fool? Even an emperor's reign lasts only tens of thousands of years."

"Don't go! That's an insurance estimate. If all goes well, it could take hundreds of thousands of years!" Lin Xian shouted. Ashes—bah! Relics—have great potential on the path to enlightenment! They're full of hope for the future. Invest in the Western Paradise now, and one day you'll be reborn in a new immortal realm and granted a high-ranking position!
"Ten thousand years is too long, seize the day." Ye Fan's powerful voice rang out as he left without looking back.

“Buddha is originally without birth, so how can there be reincarnation?” The Chaotic Emperor’s son did not agree either. He did not even believe that he was Chaotic Ancient anymore, so how could he have entered the Buddhist sect and sought immortality after death?

"They don't want it, but I do." The Black Emperor grinned slyly, "What benefits will you get from bestowing upon me some kind of Buddha title?"

"I'll bestow upon you the title of Black Emperor Bodhisattva," Lin Xian said indifferently, glancing at him.

"How come they are all Buddhas, but I'm just a Bodhisattva?" Black Emperor was immediately dissatisfied. His old rival, the Victorious Fighting Buddha, was a Buddha.

If he were a Bodhisattva, wouldn't he be inferior to the one opposite him, even the relics he produced wouldn't be as large as the one opposite him?

"To attain Buddhahood, one must ultimately reach Nirvana, enter the Human Emperor Banner, and preside over the Bodhisattva realm." Lin Xian clicked his tongue and said, "If you are willing to undergo corpse liberation now, I will send you to the Western Paradise to become a Buddha."

"Well, forget I said anything. I still need to see if the Innate Sacred Body Dao Embryo can become an Emperor." The Black Emperor immediately bristled. He was currently cultivating the Innate Sacred Body Dao Embryo, how could he be willing to die and gamble on the mysterious and profound path of corpse liberation to become an immortal?

"Where has Xiao Tianxuan been cultivating lately?" Lin Xian asked with a smile.
Ye Fan is becoming more and more monstrous. Even Luan Gu couldn't defeat him. He's a tough nut to crack.

However, the innate sacred body and Dao embryo are so tender that they could be squeezed to release water, and they can be trained a bit.

(End of this chapter)